High-quality forages, such as alfalfa and grasses, are important for efficient milk production from dairy cows. Forages provide the effective fiber that is critical for good health and longevity. Inadequate
effective fiber in the cow’s diet is one reason for acidosis and milk fat
depression. Historically, when forage quality changed,...
Mastitis is the single most expensive disease to the dairy industry, contributing to large financial losses due to decreased quantity and quality of milk. It's essential to develop and implement a mastitis
control program to keep mammary glands healthy and reduce infection in the herd. Removing the hair from a...
The effects of anomalous oceanographic conditions on growth, abundance, spawn-date distributions, and diet of early-juvenile Pacific hake Merluccius productus were examined in nursery grounds off the coast of central California, USA. Spring collections from 2 consecutive years of El Nino conditions, 1997 and 1998, 1 year of La Nina conditions,...
Although the effects of extrinsic barriers to dispersal have increasingly been shown to
play a large role in the structuring of contemporary genetic diversity, describing the
relationship between landscape structure, stochastic disturbance, and genetic diversity
remains a major challenge. Here, environmental features for 27 barrier-isolated
populations (2,232 individuals) of coastal...
We tested the potential of a selective flatfish trawl to reduce bycatch of slope rockfish in the upper continental slope bottom-trawl fishery (250–500 m) on the U.S. West Coast. The trawl we tested differed from typical slope trawls in that it was a low-rise, two-seam trawl with a severely cut...
Many studies have shown that dairies consistently overfeed nutrients such as phosphorus (P) and potassium (K). This practice is expensive and potentially damaging to the environment and to animal health. This publication suggests ways to improve feed management and thus avoid overfeeding P and K. Proper ration balancing is good...
"This 2-year project has been helpful in characterizing nonstructural carbohydrates in cool-season grasses. We have learned a lot about the normal fluctuations seen across environments and, more specifically, variations due to genetic differences. The main conclusions are:
1. Percentages of nonstructural carbohydrate are highly variable throughout the growing season and...
"There is growing interest in odor and gaseous emissions from livestock operations because of concern about global warming and enforcement of the Clean Air Act. This bulletin provides and evaluates best management practices for the control of ammonia lost to the air on dairy farms. Benefits are based on an...
Designed to help dairy farmers calculate the costs of homegrown forages and compare them to the costs of purchasing forages. Presents typical per-acre costs of establishing, producing, and harvesting alfalfa or grass for silage to help farmers estimate costs. Explains how to compare forage production costs to alternatives by assigning...